Consumed By Envy- SDS Evny Picture

Medusa was a beautiful maiden who served the goddess Athena. [in some mythology Aphrodite] She was raped in the temple by Poseidon and when Athens found out, was enraged. She blamed Medusa stating she should have expected that from a God, as if it was her fault. Athena punished medusa by making her skin crack and her hair turned into snakes. Her eyes pierced through to the soul of anyone who looked at her and petrified them forever, because of how hideous she was. She was put on the Island of the dead, in a cave right before the River Styx, gateway to the underworld. She then was killed by Perseus and afterwards he gave the head of medusa back to the temple of Athena, so in the end Athena gets the last laugh. Athena has on her armor the image of Medusa, and her army as a symbol of protection.

My Medusa isn't hideous [on the outside] she glances into a mirror, looking at herself, being envious of what she once was and consuming herself with her own envy. She is enthroned in her own temple, dim lit by torchlight. I obviously made it as if she has two legs but I left it open, leaving the dress hang off the canvas, she could have her serpentine bottom half... you never know. I could've gone the garden of statues route but I wanted to show a more tragic side of the story, but still have it menacing. I originally wanted to make her the beautiful maiden and then in the mirror be hideous and make it as if it was just a curse and her envy was what turned her hateful and ugly on the inside and that she wasn't actually hideous but that hate turned everything into stone. But I liked this idea too so I used it. Thank you to my friend/model Lorraine for letting he turn her into medusa =]

oil on panel14 x 17

IT'S STILL WET SO IT'S HARD TO GET A GOOD PICTURE SO IT WILL BE REPOSTED ASAP!